Who and which grades
Published coverageHonors Mathematics Grades 3-8; Project IDEA and Project IDEA Plus Grades 4-8
Naperville Community Unit School District 203 parent navigator Official local sources · reviewed 2026-09-08
Honors Mathematics, Project IDEA, and Project IDEA Plus,
made navigable.
Naperville 203 annually screens all students for three academically talented pathways. Current matrices combine subject-specific MAP, CogAT, and Iowa results; Project IDEA Plus adds high CogAT requirements and the Figural Torrance Test of Creative Thinking. The district publishes a fall Grade 3 cycle and a spring Grades 4-8 cycle.
Independent from Naperville Community Unit School District 203. Official district instructions always control.
What the official record confirms
Know the program.
Know the route.
Applicable school year: 2026-27. Bloomfield separates official requirements from our preparation guidance.
How students are considered
Published processAll students may be screened each year, and placed students do not requalify annually. Honors Mathematics assigns 0-4 points each for quantitative/nonverbal CogAT age percentile, mathematics MAP national percentile, and Iowa mathematics national percentile; 7 of 12 points qualifies. Project IDEA applies the same 7-of-12 rule to reading MAP, verbal CogAT, and Iowa Reading Total. PI+ first requires eligibility for both programs, at least one CogAT area at 132 SAS and the other two at 129 SAS or higher, then at least 4 points on a CogAT verbal/quantitative/nonverbal and Figural TTCT matrix. Students below a placement threshold may appeal.
What service can look like
Published modelHonors Mathematics begins as early as the second trimester of Grade 3, replaces the normal math block, and typically leads to Algebra I in Grade 8. Project IDEA replaces reading or ELA instruction in Grades 4-8 and develops advanced comprehension, analysis, argument, creativity, and communication. Project IDEA Plus is a full-day Grades 4-5 magnet at Meadow Glens and a four-subject Grades 6-8 magnet at Kennedy; its math sequence reaches Algebra I in Grade 7 and Geometry in Grade 8.
Your starting checklist
Turn the published process into clear next steps.
Confirm current instructions with the district before submitting. Bloomfield does not predict placement or reproduce protected assessments.
01Identify the exact pathway and entry grade: Honors Mathematics can begin during Grade 3; Project IDEA and PI+ begin in Grade 4.
02Request the student's current subject-specific MAP, CogAT, and Iowa percentile results and score them against the district's current matrix rather than relying on one test.
03For PI+, first verify eligibility for both Honors Mathematics and Project IDEA, then confirm the three CogAT SAS floors and the student's Figural TTCT result.
04Track the current district timeline closely: use the October Grade 3 appeal window or confirm the January 2027 Grades 4-8 testing appointments and forthcoming spring dates.
05If appealing, explain the circumstance not captured by the matrix and optionally submit one new artifact; do not resend district assessments or report cards already in the record.
06Before accepting PI+, confirm the Meadow Glens or Kennedy placement, transportation implications, four-subject schedule, and inability to enroll concurrently in Dual Language.
Primary sources
Read the published language yourself.
01Identification and Placement ↗02Description of Academically Talented and Gifted Services ↗03Appeals Process ↗04Honors Mathematics Placement Matrix Grades 3-8 ↗05Project IDEA Placement Matrix Grades 4-8 ↗06Project IDEA Plus Placement Matrix Grades 4-8 ↗
Last reviewed 2026-09-08. Program rules can change; verify the current school year with Naperville Community Unit School District 203 before acting.